Developing machine with proportional gas and paper feeds



July 5, 1949. F. o. TRUMP DEVELOPING MACHINE WITH PROPORTIONAL GAS AND PAPER FEEDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1945 INVENTQR FREDERICK O. TRUMP July 5, 1949. F. o. TRUMP 2,475,165

DEVELOPING MACHINE WITH PROPORTIONAL GAS AND PAPER FEEDS Filed Sept. 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FREDERICK O. TRUMP ATTORNEYS July 5, 1949. F. o. TRUMP 2,475,155

DEVELOPING MACHINE WITH PROPORTIONAL GAS AND PAPER FEEDS Filed Sept. 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR FREDERICK O. TRUM P BYD a A ATTORNEYS F. O. TRUMP DEVELOPING MACHINE WITH PROBORIIONAL July 5, 1949.

GAS AND PAPER FEEDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 28, 1945 Huh-3 :2 QUE Mncmm: Spear: Iu Fez-:r Pee. Mnuure:

D. R mm m T o K E R E D E R F ATTORN EYS Patented July 5 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVELOPING MACHINE WITH PROPOR- TIONAL GAS AND PAPER FEE] S Frederick 0. Trump, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to General Aniline 8; Film Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 6193i)? 11 Claims.

This invention pertains to developing machines of the type adapted to dry development of exposed sensitized materials. More specifically, the invention concerns a device for controlling the feeding, that is, the amounts or quantities of developing material, to a developing chamber in accordance with the speed of the machine and certain other factors depending upon conditions, materials, etc.

Machines of this type, some of which are combined printing and developing machines and others of which areiadapted to develop sensitized material which has been exposed in another machine, have a chamber in the form of a tank or other receptacle or enclosure in which the developing medium is vaporized to provide vapors or fumes for effecting the development of material, such as the well-known diazo type printing materials. Ammonia is one of the common developing mediums employed and, while the invention is not necessarily limitedthereto, the following description will pertain to feeding ammonia which is thereafter vaporized and by which vapors the printing material is developed thereby to bring out and make permanent a latent image.

Heretofore machines .of this type have been so constructed that the amount of ammonia or other developing liquid fed to the vaporizing chamber bears some relation to the speed at which the machine is being operated. It is to be understood that these machines may be run at different speeds, that is, lineal speeds, at which the sensitized material is run through themachine, that, of course, being.dependentupon the nature of the original being-printed and the sensitized materials which may be fully affected by the developing vapors in different periods of time, these all being factors known to those conversant with this art.

One difficulty arising with machines of the type heretofore employedisthat there isno'provision whereby the amount of developing liquid furnished bears a proper-relationship to the speed at which the sensitized material passes through the machine. As a matter of fact, somev devices'for the purposevhave fed less ammonia in proportion as the speed of the machine has been increased. There has also been no provision for readily changing and definitely governing the amount of developing liquid fed as the machine is warmed up, or during other periods of abnormal operation.

One of the objects of the invention is that of providing a mechanical delivery system which iii actually meters out a definite amount of liquid at any panticular speed for which the machine is operated and which, when the speed is changed, changes its rate of delivery to deliver an amount of liquid directly proportional to the change in printing r pin speed. For ex l nple, as the speed .of the machine is doubled, it is an object of the device herein described and claimed to deliver just twice as .much developing liquid, and to do that automatically. The same applies no matter what the ratio of change of speed may be.

It is afurther obiect of the invention to provide a mechanical ,control which shall function very accurately to vary the amount of ammonia or other liquid which is fed at any particular speed, also to make such change effective at any and all speeds without resort to complicated adjustments and by .a setting instrumentality .at a convenient partof the machine, the function of whichcangbe easily understood and controlled by the operator.

It is afurtherobject to provide a mechanical delivery system which -.-is not affected by changes inlevel. of developing liquid in the container from which it isdrawn solong vas a minimum level is maintained.

Itis also an object to provide va system in which the developing liquid fed tothe vaporizing chamber may be .distributedinto a plurality .of separate trays or channels wherein precisely the same amount .of developer v.will be delivered to each eparate channel.

The invention --wil1 be described by reference to one zembodimentthereof .as applied to a well- .known type of .dry developing'machine, but it is to be understood that this, disclosurefis illustrative only and that modifications and variations. of the device are contemplated. The following disclosure is madein reference to the accompanying figures of drawing, inwhich:

Fig.1 is .a section taken through a machine to Which'theinventionis applied, so much only of the basic machine heing shown as is necessary to an unde jstanding of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the invention, some of the internal parts being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2a.-is adetailof partofwthe developer de livery mechanism.

Fig. ,3 is .a detail .viewtaken, at anangle to the horizontal and .at- :thetop-of Fig. 2 as indicated by the reference; lines a;3'3.

Fig. 4 is atopview showing certain parts of the device.

Fig. 5 is a partial section taken at the line 55, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing relationship between machine speed, basic rate of feed for the developer and that change which may be made by altering the basic rate of delivery.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the control panel and pointer which indicates the setting of the supplemental delivery control.

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing one form of evaporating tray and the manner of feeding liquid thereto.

Fig. 9 shows an alternative form of tray and method of feeding.

Now referring to Fig. l, the upper part of a dry type developing machine is shown having an enclosing structure Ill in which is fixed a developing chamber or tank ii. This tank has an inclined side l2 in which there are a plurality of perforations through which ammonia vapors may pass on their way to the surface of a sheet of exposed sensitized material l3 which is moved upwardly along the perforated area of the said tank by a travelling belt 34, hereinafter called a sealing sleeve. This sleeve moves at a predetermined rate as it travels about the guiding rolls :5, etc., one of which is positively driven. The sleeve I4- is generally made of fabric impregnated with rubber, i. e., some rubber-like material which will resist the action of the ammonia vapors. While it is not necessarily to be employed, and is no part of the present invention, a metallic link chain belt I5 is positively driven in synchronism with sleeve l4 and serves to support and assists in advancing the exposed sensitized material past the developing portion of the tank. This belt i6 is pervious to the ammonia vapors, but further details need not be further described at this point. For a more detailed description of the developing tank and other parts of a machine of this type, reference is made to U. S. Patents 2,200,996 and 2,350,257.

Within the tank II is an evaporating tray I! into which a stream or streams of liquid ammonia or other developing agent are discharged. Here two outlets are provided each of which conveys ammonia to the tray, these outlets terminating at the ends of the pipes or tubes I8 and 19. At the side of the machine or at any other convenient point, preferably adjacent the developing chamher, is a casing 20 which is adapted to hold a supply of ammonia such supply being indicated at 2 the level thereof varying as ammonia is drawn from it passing to the evaporating tray and as the supply is replenished. The supply may be automatically replenished or maintained, but for most purposes it is sufficient to pour amounts of liquid into the chamber 20 keeping the level well above a minimum point at which no delivery would be forthcoming. One simple manner of accomplishing this involves pumping ammonia from a receptacle at the base of the machine, that being something the operator does periodically as the liquid level falls toward a predetermined mark at which replenishment of the supply is to be effected.

Referring to Figs. 2--5, the chamber 20 is shown in much greater detail. It comprises a main casting 22, cover or lid 23, and three windows designated by numerals 24, 25, and 26, each of which includes a glass plate clamped in position by a retaining flange. Of course, gaskets are employed so that all parts form a liquid-tight closure. These windows are not essential, but are provided so that the functionin of the internal parts and liquid level may be observed by the operator, if desired.

A float 27 connected to a pivoting arm 28 serves to show on a suitable indicator at the front of the machine the fact that the developer level has reached a predetermined minimum. It serves to make a contact for flashing a warning signal when the liquid level reaches that low point.

Within the liquid-tight casing are provided two sprockets 28 and 3% about which a link chain 3i, such as a bicycle chain, passes. One of the sprockets is positively driven while the other may rotate freely about its pivot or axis. Here the sprocket 38 is fixed at the end of a shaft 32 and is driven by an externally positioned sprocket 33 connectable by a chain to some suitable rotating part of the machine. Of course, the driving of the chain may be accomplished through any suitable means so long as it is positively rotated in predetermined timed relationship to the other functioning parts of the machine. Sprocket 29 is rotatable on a bearing at the end of a stud 34. An adjustment may be provided by arranging for movement of the stud 34 to or away from shaft 32, thereby to tighten the chain to that point at which there will be no appreciable slack, yet allowing it to run freely.

To chain 3! are connected at spaced intervals at number of buckets 35. These buckets are shaped as illustrated in Fig. 2 and are freely hinged to swing about pins 36 which project from the chain links. In fact, these pins are extensions of the link pivots themselves. The center of gravity of each bucket is so disposed that normally they swing downwardly as is shown the bucket viewed through window 2%, Fig. 2, being stopped at a predetermined position by a second projecting pin 3? which bears at the top inner edge of the bucket just forwardly of the pivot 38. Each bucket dips in the liquid as the chain moves in the direction indicated by the arrow thereby picking up a certain quantity of ammonia or other developing liquid and carries that liquid upwardly over sprocket ac whereupon it is dumped, since as the chain passes about that sprocket, the change of course of the chain and effect of the pin 3i tip the bucket to a vertical position. At that time, the bucket is at a point above a small reservoir or recess 38 at the right hand side of the casting 22, Figs. 2 and 2a, to which the tubes 18 and I9 are connected. Ammonia or other liquid dumped into the recess 38 then flows by gravity through these tubes to be discharged into the evaporating tray l1, Fig. 1.

The buckets, after being dumped as above described, swivel above their pivots during the descent of that part of the chain, eventually assuming their original position and, upon passing about the sprocket 29, again pick up a predetermined quantity of liquid and repeat the process. Any convenient number of buckets may be employed, that depending upon the quantity each bucket is adapted to discharge, also upon the relative speed at which the chain travels compared to the speed of other parts and functions of the developing machine itself.

In one preferred form of the invention, buckets are provided at opposite sides of the chain. That is not entirely essential but it does eliminate a tendency toward unbalanced effects due to loeating all buckets at one side. Another reason for providing buckets at both sides of the chain and for spacing them laterally to an appreciable extent is that buckets at one side may dump into a reservoir or recess 38 which is divided at its center part, Fig. 2a, so that one group of buckets discharges their liquid to be carried through tube I8 to one side of the evaporating tray, while those buckets at the opposite side of the chain deliver liquid carried through tube l9 to the other side of that tray. Of course, there are an equal number of buckets at either side and they deliver practically identical quantities so that each part of the evaporating tray is fed the same quantity of developing liquid, and that condition prevails no matter what the speed of operation or rate of delivery may be.

Now referring to Figs. 3 and 5, there are shown a pair of guides 39 and 40 which confine the chain 3: to a straight line path at that portion of its travel upwardly prior to passing over sprocket 39. Each of these guides may be adjusted so that they vary their angle, but preferably they should guide the chain in a pathway so that in its travel upwardly, it passes in as nearly a straight line as is possible from the top of one sprocket to the top of the next. The guide 39 is supported by a bracket 4| attached by connecting screw 42 which passes through a clearance hole at the side of the casing 23. Likewise, guide so is fixed at the inner end of bracket 43 attached by screw 44. The clearance holes provide for a certain amount of adjustment. These guides bear upon the chain rollers, but permit them to pass between without unnecessary friction, and without any actual binding. The width of the guides is such that there is no opportunity for the chain to tilt or to wobble laterally during its travel.

In addition to control of the rate of delivery as effected by changing the speed at which the chain travels in direct ratio to the printing and developing speed of the machine, a supplementary control is provided. This supplementary control acts at a point prior to that at which the buckets are dumped and tilts them so that a part of their contents is discharged back into the main reservoir in the chamber 20.

The design of the developer feeding means is primarily based on delivery of the maximum quantity of liquid which may ever be demanded without resort to supplementary control. That is, as the plurality of buckets dip in the liquid carrying their full contents over sprocket 30 and dumping into the recess or recesses at 38, the amount of ammonia or other liquid actually delivered will always be sufficient. Of course, in actual practice there will be few instances where that amount of liquid would be desired for any length of time. Perhaps in starting up a machine which had been drained, or for some other reason had insufficient ammonia within the developing chamber, full delivery would be employed for a few minutes.

The form of this supplemental means is evident in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. It comprises, considering double sided delivery as herein illustrated, two cams designated by numerals 45 and 46, and actuating means for setting them. These cams are arcuate in shape and either extend from or are attached to the ends of a shaft 47 which projects through from one side to the other of the casing 23. This shaft is rotatable in bearings at either end thereof and carries a worm wheel 48 at its inner projecting end by means of which it is rocked throughout a small angular extent. The remainder of the means for rocking the shaft 47 and cams 45 and 46 includes a worm 49 engageable with the wheel 48 and fixed to the end ofshaft 50. This. shaft 50'is rotatable in hearings in the brackets 5i and 52 attached to the upright lugs 53 and 54 cast as integral parts of the upper casing 23. The shaft 50 has a small sprocket 55 attached at its outer end, over which runs a chain 56. This chain extends down and about a second sprocket 51 which is fixed intermediate the ends of a short spindle 58 projecting through a bearing 59 at the lower end of a downwardly extending bracket 60, Fig. 2. This spindle 58 extends through the front plate 6| at the part of the machine where controls are located and has an operating knob 62 by means of which it may be turned thereby to rotate shaft 50 and the spindle 41 and its attached cams.

Chain 56 is tensioned by spring 63 so that there is no lost motion. As shown in Fig. '7, the knob 62 has a pointer 64 associated therewith, said pointer functioning to indicate in cooperation with marks from 0 to Full" to show the actual amount of liquid reaching chamber 38 compared to the full amount originally picked up by the buckets as they pass through and leave the liquid supply.

There is considerable reduction of motion so that almost a complete revolution of the knob is required for a very slight angular movementof the cams. A projection 65 strikes a stop pin 66 so that movement never exceeds a maximum for which th device has been planned.

Each of the buckets, or at least some of them, have projecting pins 61 extending outwardly toward the cams 45 or 46 as the case may be. These pins strike against the curved surface of their respective cams and tip the buckets about their pivots. The movement of shaft; 41 and the cams is such that at one extreme setting, Full, the pins just pass by without making any contact. For other settings, there will be actual contact, and, depending upon the position at which the cams are set, the buckets will be dumped throughout varying angular extents. The extreme movement toward the 0 side is so regulated that even at the mark indicating 8 or no delivery at all, there will be a very slight amount of developer actually delivered. That prevents running the machine without some developer. That is, the machine cannot be run dry.

The general arrangement of parts herein described is that embodied in a preferred form of invention. Of course, there may be variations in the mechanical parts themselves, the disposal and shape of cams may vary, or other mechanical expedients may be employed so long as the general principles of operation are substantially the same. In place of the sprockets and chain, and the worm and gear, through which the supplemental change of delivery rate is effected, other devices may be employed, for example, other types of gears, cables, or flexible shafting may enter into the combination.

Instead of sprockets, chain, and buckets, other mechanical devices may be employed so lon as they function in timed relation with other parts of the machine and so long as they act to pick up a definite quantity of liquid and to deliver it at a point Where it will be conveyed or led to the evaporating tray undiminished in quantity, except as affected by the supplemental control.

The float 21 functions through linkage (not shown) to rock a switch 68 which is preferably a mercury type switch, and which makes contact to light a warning signal only at such times as the liquid level falls to a minimum point where replenishment is desirable.

Now referring to Fig. 8, one form of evaporating tray particularly adapted to use with the previously described delivery mechanism is illustrated. That tray is indicated generally by numeral 39. It is pressed out of sheet material and has two more or less parallel channels 10 and H, each of which is preferably of V-section, and each of which increases in width and depth from one end to the other. This increase in width and depth is oppositely directed for each channel so that the large end, that is, the low end of channel H is at the right while that of channel it is at the left. 1e usual heating tubes 12 and '33 are provided and ammonia is fed adjacent the narrow or high end of each channel. A tube 74 feeds channel 18 while a corresponding tube 75 projecting over to the opposite side feeds channel H.

Referring to Fig. 9, a modified form of tray is shown in which the center point is th highest point and two V-shaped channels extend outwardly and downwardly from that central point. At the right a channel it receives ammonia from a tube H and at the left a similar channel 78 receives ammonia from a tube 19. When func-- tioning in cooperation with the balanced and equal delivery from the mechanism above described, each of these trays will serve to evaporate the developin liquid giving off an equal amount of vapor evenly disposed over the interior of the tank ll so long as the heating coils or other heating'device (not shown) develop a similar amount of heat.

The entire combination herein described has been found to be more economical, is more easily controlled to give precisely the amount of vapor required, and gives that vapor off over the entire area of the developing portion of the machine with more even distribution than has heretofore been possible. Once set and properly adjusted, it is practically impossible for the device to get out of adjustment or to function other than as intended.

In operation, the device functions entirely automatically except, of course, for the setting for the auxiliar control. As the machine is started the delivery of developing liquid con1 mences immediately, the amount of delivery be ing dependent upon the setting at the dial, Fig. 7. At setting the supplementary control function to dump most, but not all, of the developing liquid prior to its reaching the point at which it is normally discharged. That always assures delivery of a minimum amount of ammonia or other developer. As the machine speed is changed, as it must b for different originals, different materials, etc, the speed of the chain and therefore the delivery of developer follows that change in direct proportion so that, as seen in Fig. 6, the curves for delivery plotted against machine speed are all straight lines.

Depending upon the setting for the cams 45 and 46, i. e., /4. /2, etc, an amount of developer somwhat less than the maximum possible of delivery will actually reach the reservoir 38, and from that, the vaporizin chamber.

The effect of the auxiliary control can be seen from Fig. 6, in which the thre curves which lie below the curve entitled Bucket Full show the actual amount of developer delivered at any particular machine speed in feet per minute. The proportion is always a direct one.

Throughout the disclosure reference has been made to ammonia and other developing liquids. For the diazo process ammonia is probably the only developing medium now employed, but it is 8 to be understood that other developers may be employed and the mechanism herein described and claimed is equally adapted to use therewith. The quantities evident in the diagram at Fig. 6 apply to one particular machine and, of course, they may vary for other installations. The principles herein set forth would still apply.

Instead of providing for a lvisual signal which indicates that point at which replenishment is desired, some other signal may be used, and in fact, the control may function automatically to start a pump or other device by means of which liquid level may be brought to some predetermined point.

While one preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims,

I claim:

1. In a developing machine of the type described the combination of a vaporizing tank, means for conveying material to be developed past a portion of said tank at which developing vapors are brought into contact with said material, and means for feeding developing liquid to said tank including a chain and mean-s carried thereby for dipping into a supply of liquid and for conveying and dumping liquid to conduits by which it may be carried to the vaporizing tank, means for driving said chain in timed relationship to the speed at which the material to be developed is moved through the machine, and supplementary means by which a part of the liquid conveyed by the chain is preliminarily discharged before reaching a point at which it can be delivered to the said tank.

2. In a developing machine of the type described the combination of a vaporizing tank, means for conveying material to be developed past a portion of said tank at which developing vapors are brought into contact with said material, and means for feeding developing liquid to said tank at a rate bearing a definite ratio to the speed at which the material is moved past the developing area of th tank, said means including a reservoir for containing a supply of liquid, a chain and plurality of buckets carried thereby, sprockets about which said chain passes and by which it and the said bucket-s move downwardly to dip into and pick up a supply of liquid and to be elevated to dump that liquid at a point at which it will be conveyed to the vaporizing tank, and supplementary means including a cam for preliminarily tipping said buckets to discharge a portion of the liquid contained therein back into the supply at the said reservoir.

3. Mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein the cam by which the said buckets are preliminarily dumped is movable to different positions thereby selectively to vary the amount of liquid preliminarily discharged and thus to control the ultimate flow to the vaporizing tank.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein the cam by which the buckets are preliminarily dumped is pivoted and is movable to different positions, and means for so moving the said cam including interconnected gearing and chain driven means movable by a control at the control panel of the machine.

5. In a developing machine of the type described the combination of a vaporizing tank, means for conveying material to be developed past a portion of said tank at which developing vapors are brought into contact with said material, and means for feeding developing liquid to said tank at a rate bearing a definite ratio to the speed at which the material is moved past the developing area of the tank, said means including a reservoir for containing a supply of liquid, a chain and plurality of buckets carried thereby, sprockets about which said chain passes and over which it and the said buckets move downwardly to dip into and pick up a supply of liquid at the reservoir, and to elevate and dump that liquid at a point at which it will be conveyed to the vaporizing tank, and supplementary means for preliminarily dumping part of the contents of some at least of the buckets including a cam engageable with a. projection on the buckets and means for setting said cam to be effective for dumping different quantities of liquid from the buckets and other means for indicating the amount of liquid which will be dumped at any particular setting for the said cam.

6. In a developing machine of the type described the combination of a vaporizing tank, a vaporizing tray within said tank having oppositely directed and inclined portions, means for conveying material to be developed past a portion of said tank at which developing vapors are brought into contact with said material, and means for feeding developing liquid to be discharged in equal amounts at either portion of said tray including a conveying chain having a plurality of buckets attached to and movable therewith for dipping in a supply of developing liquid and for elevating and dumping that liquid to be conveyed to the said tray, the construction being such that there are an equal number of buckets at either side of the chain, those buckets at one side independently delivering their liquid to be conveyed to one said portion of the tray while those buckets at the opposite side of the chain deliver liquid to the opposite part thereof.

'7. In a developing machine of the type described, the combination of a vaporizin tank, means for conveying material to be delivered past a portion of said tank at which developing vapors are brought into contact with said material, and means for feeding developing liquid to said tank which comprises an endless chain, buckets carried by said chain and caused during the movement thereof to dip into a supply of developing liquid and upon being raised by said chain to discharge a quantity of said liquid to the tank, means for moving said chain and buckets at a speed synchronized with the speed of the means for conveying material past the portion of the tank at which developing vapors affect the material, so that at all speeds the volume of liquid discharged to the tank and vaporized bears a definite, predetermined mathematical ratio to the linear speed at which the material is passed through the machine to be developed, and supplemental control means including means engageable with the buckets after they have dipped in the supply and before they discharge their liquid to the tank for preliminarily emptying therefrom a portion of liquid contained therein thereby to alter the basic delivery of the feeding means.

8. In a developing machine of the character described, a vaporisin-g tank, means for moving material past said tank to be developed by liquid vapors emanating therefrom, means for feeding a volatile liquid to said tank at a rate varying in proportion with the rate of movement of said material and means for controlling within predetermined limits the amount of said liquid being fed irrespective of said rate.

9. In a developing machine of the character described, a vaporizing tank, means for moving material past said tank to be developed by liquid vapors emanating therefrom, means for feeding a volatile liquid to said tank at a rate varying in proportion with the rate of movement of said material and means for selectively controlling Within predetermined limits the amount of said liquid being fed irrespective of said rate.

10. In a developing machine of the character described, a vaporizing tank, means for moving material past said tank to be developed by liquid vapors manating therefrom, means for feedinga volatile liquid to said tank at a rate varying in proportion with the rate of movement of said material and means for controlling within predetermined limits the amount of said liquid being fed irrespective of said rate, comprising means for removing a portion of said liquid carried by said feeding means prior to entering said tank.

11. In a developing machine of the character described, a vaporizing tank, means for moving material past said tank to be developed by liquid emanating therefrom, means for feeding a volatile liquid to said tank at a rate varying in proportion with the rate of movement of said material and means for controlling within predetermined limits the amount of said liquid being fed irrespective of said rate, comprising means for removing a portion selectable in magnitude of said liquid carried by said feeding means prior to entering said tank.

FREDERICK O. TRUMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,568,660 Dumas Jan. 5, 1926 1,813,834 Ballard et al July '7, 1931 2,096,015 Von Meister Oct. 19, 1937 2,284,414 Gammon May 26, 1942 2,333,733 Morse Nov. 9, 1943 2,350,257 Steglich May 30, 1944 2,384,155 Brunk Sept. 4, 1945 

